Robert Juet's Journal
Captain Hudson has resolved to continue up the river, but for the moment the VOC Halve Maen remains anchored somewhere in the general vicinity of the modern-day Port of Albany while the crew members engage in various activities. One team sails the sloep upriver to explore (spending the night away from the ship), while the ship's carpenter goes ashore to make repairs. Captain Hudson and his first mate invite a party of local chiefs on board to entertain them in the ship's cabin -- all to test the Mahicans' trustworthiness, in Juet's estimation. Even Juet is impressed by the manners of the wife of one of the visiting chiefs. When one guest becomes drunk (likely having never before consumed alcohol), the rest of his comrades react with consternation, but are persuaded to leave their friend in the care of the Halve Maen's crew.
On September 21st, 1609:
The one and twentieth, was faire weather, and the wind all Southerly: we determined yet once more to goe farther vp into the Riuer, to trie what depth and breadth it did beare; but much people resorted abooard, so we went not this day. Our Carpenter went on land, and made a Fore-yard. And our Master and his Mate determined to trie some of the chiefe men of the Countrey, whether they had any treacherie in them. So they took them downe into the Cabbin, and gaue them so much Wine and Aqua vita, that they were all merrie: and one of them had his wife with him, which sate so modestly, as any of our Countrey women would doe in a strange place. In the end one of them was drunke, which had been aboord of our ship all the time that we had beene there; and that was strange to them; for they could not tell how to take it. The Canoes and folke went all on shoare: but some of them came againe, and brought stropes of Beades: some had sixe, seuen, eight, nine, ten, and gaue him. So he slept all night quietly.
-- Robert Juet's Journal.
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